„Hey Mads here I am. Pass me the ball", Willow screamed.
Maddie looked right and left calculating her options in her head. Right behind Willow stood this big girl. Maddie thought her name was Vanessa, but she wasn´t exactly sure. So it was a bad idea passing her the ball. She could feel the clock ticking. There was only one minute left. She threw the ball to her teammate Alissa and sprinted immediately forward. Alissa recognized what Maddies plan was in an instant. She wrong footed one of there opponents and threw the ball back to Maddie again. She caught it and in a swift move she turned around to the hoop and threw it right into it.
A second later she could hear the game clock ringing.
„The Southern California State university won the cup", a voice declared out of the speakers.
Maddie was still in the process of realizing what just happened. Then she turned around to the stands and screamed at the top of her lungs
"Bamm what".
She was so happy, when she saw the girls running towards her. Like gorillas they threw themselves against her, burying her under there sweaty bodies.
Two days later"Maddie? Omg Mads what are you doing here? If been looking all over the campus for you".
Liv was well aware, that the win was a big deal for the girl's basketball team and she also fully understood that they needed to get some steam off, but she hadn´t expected seeing them so hungover.
They had taken part in a party that was legendary around the campus. The two day Giganta. Both the girls and the boys had there basketball season roughly about the same time and when it finished they both partied hard and for two whole days. All the girls raved about the cute jocks there and the jocks raved about the girl letting go of any kind of morals after two drinks.
It was an absolute mess in Willows dorm room. Maddie, Willow and a friend of theres called Alissa were cuddled up in Willows tiny bed. Still in there party clothes with their eyeliners smeared around there faces. But it didn´t stop there. Another girl seemed to have slept on the desk and another three were lying on the ground, with one of them wrapped in Willows carpet like a burrito. Liv also heard voices coming from the closet and when she opened it she saw a tiny black girl, with her terribly short dress hiked up to her belly button, moaning about wanting a blueberry pancake. It was a pretty funny scene.
"Mmh Liv what are you doing here? Oh and please stop screaming so loud I´m totally wasted", Liv groaned, „I thought you were off to a movie shot somewhere.
Though both of them lived in California now Liv didn´t go to university. She got a role as an undercover reporter at a university, where someone sold an illegal drug. It was praised to be the next big summer hit.
"Yes I am Maddie, but I convinced them that this school was the perfect filming spot and we will all film it here", she almost screamed while bouncing up and down like a rubber ball.
She got a collective moan/groan from all the girls in the room.
Alissa half lifted herself of the bed and hissed: „Could you please shut up for god's sake."
Making a face like she was in pain Maddie lifted herself from the bed and stood up carefully to not hit her friend lying on the ground.
"Get up guys".
They all protested, but eventually freed themselves from the carpets, other bodies or Willows closet.
"Let's get out of here".
It was really funny watching the eight girls drag themselves down the dorm hall, out of the door and protecting themselves from the bright sun like they were vampires.
"C´mon Willow let's take a walk. I really need some fresh air. Wanna join Liv?"
The three walked for a couple of minutes silently around the campus. Naturally, like a mighty force, it pulled Liv towards the basketball courts.
Finally Maddie broke the silence.
"So what about your movie? You rarely talked about it Livy. Who's the director? Who sold the drugs? The charismatic Jock your character falls in love with or the mysterious emo, who plays piano like Tchaikovsky?"
"Don´t tell me. I can´t believe you can be so cruel Maddog", Willow intertwined.
They finally reached the courts and Willow quickly walked to the next bench singing "Lalalala" with her fingers in her ears. She laid down on the bench, clearly still slightly drunk, and seemed to pass out.
Maddie turned towards Liv with an expecting face.
"Well…" Liv said, smiling and giggling in a way she only ever does when she is really uncomfortable, "well it is directed by Scott Westwood. You wouldn´t know him, he is pretty unknown so far. By the way filming will start in two days. I´m so excited", she said waving her hands in front of Maddie's face, "you know we also have an amaaaazzzzing cast. Trent, or the emo how you call him, will be played by none other than Ansel Elgort. Isn´t he super-duper cute? The headmaster by the way was the leader of the drug ring and he will be played by Channing "chiselling abs" Tatum. Oh and there's another role played by a very famous young actor. The role of Chris the charismatic, manipulative basketball player. You might know him. Oh there he is".
"Hi Liv how are you", a familiar voice said, "Oh and Maddie you are also here. Great."
"Is he really here?" Maddie whispered still with her back turned towards him.
"Yes Maddie it is really me".
"I can´t believe you didn´t told me", Maddie hissed. Then she turned around to face Josh.
"Hey Josh", she said while awkwardly hugging him. He was smiling as always, but she could saw that it only was a fassade, as his eyes weren´t smiling. They hadn´t got this twinkle they always had. They were still beautiful, brown eyes, but Maddie could remember how they light up, when they were on that infamous baseball date. She smiled in the memory of that.
"So you are a big time actor now huh?"
"It seems like that doesn´t it", small laugh, „but I guess I can´t compete with someone like Channing Tatum or Ansel Elgort. I mean I´m already seeing Tweens with "I love you Ansel" or "Misses Elgort" t-shirts spooking around this place."
Liv immediately laughed: „Well words travel fast in the fan community."
"Yo Maddog", a voice shouted,"the coach is pissed. She witnessed two of us puking in the gym. I think she is gonna damage Lolas and Jennys ears permanently. Can you please come and bail them out?'She will listen to you. You are her favourite player and she thinks, because you´re from the land of cheese rolling and sausage throwing you are the most responsibiliest of us."
It was Alissa, who surprisingly recovered very fast from her hangover, even though she set a new beer chugging record only a day ago. Alissa was in a few steps right next to Josh.
"But first I would burn your hotpants and you´re croptop. Oh and wash your face too. Is that eyeliner on your chin?"
After she said that she finally recognized Josh, who looked slightly uncomfortable.
Maddie could see it. Alissa straighted out her posture. Shoulders back. Chest out. She knew Alissa long enough to know that, that was what she did, when she pulled all the registers of flirting. While she played with her beautiful dark hair she gave him an almost blinding smile.
"Oh hey I´m Alissa. I don´t think we ever met before. What's your name?"
"Ohm my name is Josh Willcox. Nice to meet you. Are you a friend of Maddie´s?"
"Yes very good friend. By the way I like your last name. Can I have it?"
"Ok Alissa calm down", Willow said, who must have snuck up on them, because Maddie hasn´t realized it, „come on girl lets go. That piece of meat is definitely not available for you sweet cheeks."
Alissa protested, but willow just took her arm and dragged her away.
Maddie suddenly saw her opportunity to escape this awkward situation.
"Wait up", she screamed to the girls. She turned back to Liv and Josh and said:"I´m so sorry guys, but I have to go. We´ll talk later Liv. It was really nice meeting you Josh. You look great".
And he really did. He looked tan. Not in a spray-paint kind of way, but in a way that made him look like he had spent his day surfing. His hair was bleached by the sun and it looked like he trained, because his arms looked damn good.
She turned away and ran after her friends.
Back in Willows dorm room they all cleaned their faces and Willow lend them some clothes, because Maddie feared her mother would kill her, when she appeared in her top at home, that was ending five centimetres under her breasts and had "Sportbabe" written across her chest.
As soon as they came into the room Alissa immediately started asking about Josh, but when Willow told her he was Maddies Ex She backed down. You can say a lot about Alissa. She may dresses, like she was right out of Jersey shore, she maybe perfected her slut drop and has hooked up with almost every frat boy out there, but she still was a kickass basketball player and an amazing friend. The ultimate code of life for her was what she called the girl code. It said that it is forbidden to ever do it with a friend's ex nor ever flirt with him.
A week later´Maddie and Willow just had English and came out of the building, when he arrived. It was truly true what everyone said. They seemed to be attracted like a mosquito to light. Maddie barely made it out alive.
"Willow", she screamed,"Willow". But Maddie knew it was too late. Nobody was save from it.
The Channing had arrived!
Maddie had already met him prior, when Liv had dragged her along to a Hollywood party. He really was very sexy, but Maddie realized that by now the court must be like a ghost town.
She quickly ran to Willows dorm to pick up a ball, Willow had given her a key, because most of the times the hung out there, left her stuff there and ran to the court. The adrenaline pumped through her veins as she ran faster and faster. She finally reached the court a little bit out of breath, but she was not as alone as she hoped she would have been.
"Josh?" Maddie ran down the hill to the court.
He turned around to see Maddie.
"Hey Maddie what are you doing here", his eyes fell on the ball, „OH I see. We obviously had the same thought. I wanted to train for my role alone, while everyone is still stalking Channing. It will take a while. He´s too nice to turn them down. So he will give out autogramms and selfies for at least the next hour."
"Yeah I guess so"
This was followed by a really awkward silence.
"Will do you wanna play Madds? You could show me some tricks."
"Of course", Maddie said without even thinking about it. She just wanted to break the silence.
And so they played and suddenly it was like nothing happened. Maddie won on every one on one game, but he wasn´t angry. It made him happy, when she screamed"Bähm what in your face pretty boy". They laughed like they always did. They totally forgot the time. They didn´t even recognized when it got dark.
"That's the 95 win for me now Josh. What do you have to say to your defense", she teased him, pretending like she held a microfone.
He playfully took the invisible micro from her and said:" I´m devastated. I can never show my pretty face on this court again."
Maddie grinned with the tip of her tongue sticking out. She couldn´t remember when she was this happy the last time.
Wrecked from all the sport he laid down on the grass next to the court.
"Are you giving up you loser?"
"Yes I am. I give up. Maddog you are unbeatable".
"Yess", she said, punching her right hand into the air. Also devastated she laid down next to Josh looking at the stars.
"So how are things in Wisconsin", he asked.
"I don´t know actually. The house is shattered into a million little pieces and I haven´t been there since I enrolled here. I know Mom and Dad want to go back though. My aunt is making Mom go insane. She said if she had to eat anymore sea weed crisps, she would run away with our neighbour's pool boy Julio".
Josh laughed. Maddie really missed that laugh. It was so pure. She always felt like he concentrated on her and on her only when they were together. That being with her is all he ever wanted. It was a nice feeling.
They just laid there for a while. Then he rolled around to see her. Conflicted he asked the question Maddie knew would come sooner or later.
"So hows stuff going with Diggie?"
She sighed also turning around to see him in his eyes.
"It´s great. We obviously can´t see each other as often as we´d like too with him in Wisconsin and me here in California, but he visits from time to time. He´ll also visit me on semester break. But Josh I´m not stupid. You don´t just innocently ask me that."
"No you´re probably right Maddie. I just wanted to know if it was worth it. I felt terrible after we broke up. I just wanted to know if it was worth it. If you´re happy now. It took me a lot of time to find my peace with what happened at that wedding. So are you happy?"
Maddie didn´t knew what to say now. She remembered that wedding very well. She choose Diggie over Josh.
"Yeah", she said in a raspy voice,"I am happy. Thank you.
She sat up.
"You are really one of a kind Josh. You´re kind, funny, handsome and just awesome. I really hope you´ll find someone someday that doesn´t leave you for someone else."
Silence again.
"Wow you can really kill the mood Maddie", Josh laughed.
A quick smirk from Maddie.
"Yeah. It´s dark should we go inside?"
"Yeah I guess so", Josh said and stood up.
He reached his hand out to help Maddie get up. She took it and they slowly walked back to the main buildings. While they were walking Maddie couldn´t help, but glance at Josh the whole time. She would sell her favourite trainers right now to find out what was going on in Josh´s head.
"You don´t live here right?"
"No, but my car is right around the corner on the student parking spot."
The talking felt forced. Nothing was left from there cheerful mood they had from playing basketball.
They walked to Maddie´s car and stopped.
"Should I drive you somewhere? It´s late."
"No don´t worry I´ll call a taxi."
"It doesn´t bother me Josh. Please get in the car. See it as a compassion award, because you lost so badly".
Normally Josh would have smiled about that, but now he just silently got into the car. Maddie also got in.
"So where are you staying. I…"But Maddie couldn´t finish that sentence. With a weird look in his eyes Josh leaned over to Maddie cupping her face with his right hand coming dangerously close to her.
Maddie´s brain seemed to be on vacation, because she hadn´t got the strength to do what she should do. She had a boyfriend, but Josh. Just Josh. He smelled incredibly well. Even back in Wisconsin he smelled like the sea, which was weird because there was no sea around. For a second she just closed her eyes inhaling his smell. When she opened them, Josh was still starring at her. He was so close. His eyes were still his eyes. His face was still his face. He was still Josh. Josh that made her giggle like a twelve year old girl, who just hugged a cute guy.
"Maddie. I….." ,he said in a raspy voice.
"Don´t", she stopped him, "don´t say something right now okay?"
His thumb was starting to stroke her cheek.
Then when she almost thought that this was all what would happen he leaned in and touched her lips with his. They kissed.
The kiss was soft and light. Like he wouldn´t want to hurt anybody, but he just did. Maddie couldn´t and also didn´t want to stop. She put one hand on his neck to gain more control in this situation. He also tasted like the sea. Maddie didn´t wanted him to stop. She knew that when they would stop she had to go back to reality and face ,what she had just done. But in this moment she didn´t wanted too. She just wanted to be a girl kissing a boy. A boy she really liked. She opened her mouth to let his tongue slip in. He gently explored her mouth with his tongue. He pulled her over from the drivers seat onto his lap. And there they were. Maddie with both hands in Josh´s blond hair holding on to him as if he was a lifebelt. Josh had one hand one her cheek, the other one was on her back. It was the best kiss Maddie has ever gotten. It was almost too good to be true, but like all good things it had to come to an end. After approximately fifteen minutes he let go.
After a minute Maddie climbed back into the drivers seat.
"So what hotel?"
"Mariott".
They drove the whole ten minutes in complete silence, when they finally got there Maddie parked, but Josh wasn´t getting out of the car.
"So why? Why Josh?"
He rubbed his face with his hands in desperation trying to find words.
"I seriously don´t know. I just remembered in that moment that we never actually shared a kiss Maddie. I thought it was maybe my last chance and man you looked so damn beautiful and I just couldn´t…."
"I looked beautiful? Well sweat must really look good on me than".
Josh laughed, but it was more like a sad laugh.
"Gosh Maddie you´re killing me. I was wrong. I´m not over you."
"That's alright Josh". Maddie tried to comfort him, but he just seemed to get mad".
"No Maddie its not alright. You know I could have any Hollywood girl I wanted, but every time I kiss any of them you´re face pops into my head and I immediatly feel guilty, even though I have nothing to feel guilty about, because you dumped me for Diggie".
He was really angry right now.
"I love you Maddie Rooney and I don´t know how to forget you. You make me feel so mushy inside. God I sound so stupid right now".
He pressed his hands on his face. Maddie was paralyzed. What should she say? She couldn´t just tell him that she loved him. She couldn´t lie to him. She really liked him, but this was no crappy novel, where she suddenly finds out she loved Josh the whole time and that Diggie was just a distraction. She also really liked Diggie. She slowly reached out and took his hands. He didn´t even look at her when she began to massage his arm with her thumb.
"Calm down Josh. I will be completely honest with you. I like you. I really do like you. You are an amazing guy and you deserve happiness."
"Oh gosh Maddie if you want to turn me down again please spare me the "Friend" talk".
Now Maddie got angry.
"Hold on. I´m trying to be nice here so shut up and listen to what I have to say. Who do you think you are?"
"You know if got enough of this", Josh said and he got out of the car.
Maddie leaned out to look after him when he left.
"Josh", she screamed in an impulsive manner.
He turned around and Maddie could see the tear in his eyes.
"Good bye", she whispered.
"Good bye Maddie", she could see his lips forming.
Epiloge
Maddie broke up with Diggie that night. She thought it wasn´t fair for her to be together with him, when her feelings were so conflicted.
Maddie hardly saw Josh anymore while they filmed the movie. She thought it was better if she didn´t. For both of them.
She told Willow and Alissa what happened, but decided not to tell Liv. Maddie couldn´t let her feelings get in the way of the movie. Josh also didn´t told Liv, what happened that night. Like they planned it.
She got over Diggie surprisingly fast. Alissa told her that most girls need to find their inner peace with their first boyfriends and Maddie did. A few drunken nights were also involved with it.
Her and Willow finished college after three years. Their team was praised as one of the best they ever had winning three times in a row. Willow decided to major in English and moved to Pennsylvania. Maddie majored in P.E. She, Alissa and Willows stayed good friends. Alissa decided to not finish college and is now a waitress pursuing her big dreams of becoming the next Linda Lovelace. She can still outdrink everybody and taught herself a destructive sucker punch. Don´t cross her. Maddie played professionally for five years and then retired early. She went back to her high school and now teaches sport and both basketball teams.
Liv became an even bigger star. She got her own Talk show "Laughing with Liv". It was a huge success.
Joey surprised everyone by flying to Willow ,after he graduated from NYU, and proposed. She said yes and they have a beautiful baby daughter on the way now. They want to call her Jillow. Let´s pray for the baby that that never happens.
Diggie married with twenty-five. He got a divorce a year later. He didn´t realized that she was a golddigger. He really is stupid. He made millions by bringing Fluegelball to America.
You may wonder what happened to Josh and Maddie.
Well they didn´t talk for a long while. They reunited on her twenty-eight birthday. They went out on several coffee dates. It was different now. They both had had relationships with other people, but he still smelled like the sea and Maddie still smiled with the tip of her tongue looking out.
They were still the same after all these years. They became happy together. As friends.
And later as husband and wife
Authors note:
I really wanted to write this for a long time now. I love this couple, but I thought I wouldn´t give them justice by just simply making them fall in love, because love is a word used to often and much too soon. That's why they didn´t declare their love for each other on that parking spot. It didn´t felt right. Again I really like this couple. Diggie hurt her so much and she deserves better. She deserves Josh. I think the only thing holding them back is that the actors are dating irl. Well I hope you like my story. Feel free to criticise me by the way. It would actually help me to get better. I know my grammar is not on point. I´m not a native sorry. Have a beautiful ;)